Defining "love". How to explain colour to a blind person?We know when we feel it, know when it goes but can we really explain to someone else. I suspect it is different for each of us. Despite the hurt that it often can bring - I would not be the person I am without having loved and been loved. We all love the feeling of being loved but you can't ask for it or demand or expect it. It has to just happen. I guess it is altruistic when we love. We may hope for it to be returned but we don't give love in the expectation of something in return. We can't plan to love. Thus the motive behind love must be pure. Even the "love" expressed in religions is I expect given in the hope of a future life. (Cynical!). I don't think we can fall in love too easily. That I think would be more akin to infatuation and sexual desire.It is a pity we use the word "love" so often. Loving a film, a song, a book or certain foods surely give the word a different meaning. I think I need to check with Fosca and Georgio!

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"I'm sixty-three and I guess that puts me with the geriatrics, but if there were fifteen months in every year, I'd only be forty-three".James Thurber 1957

Just the type of post I was hoping for, tomovoz. I think "love" is probably the most misunderstood and abused word in the English language. As I said in the notes, how can two people fall in LOVE and then not be in love a few weeks later, or a few months later, or a few years later? I mean, if LOVE means what it's supposed to mean, how can people love someone one minute and not love them the next minute?

Oh my. I shall have to ponder this subject. It is much written about, much talked about....and much used as motivation for stage, film, and television....but what is it?

I think that we as human beings learn about love from our families. I think that we model ourselves on them for good or ill.

And I think we really fall in the "love" that is written and sung about when another person (outside our family) becomes as important and vital to our existence as we our to ourselves. And if that feeling is mutual, those are two of the luckiest people in the world....they say.

I think that "the greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return." Thanks to Moulin Rouge. One of the biggest lessons in my life has been learning to love myself, and then learning to accept that others can love me too.

"Love" between two people is completely and totally inexplicable, it is not a noun which can be defined by the brain, but by our own ego. Now, do not think of ego as a slam, for it is the part of us which makes us who we are, just as who we love may help define our lives.I will say that I think many writers, especially screen writers cheat by having characters say the words, "I love you;" it would be far more interesting to be shown how the characters perceive love, what being in love means to them and to the screenwriter. Did Shakespeare have Romeo and Juliet say "I love you?" No, rather he has that incredible balcony scene! I think that Juliet's belief in love is best expressed earlier in the scene with her mother and the nurse. When approached with Paris' proposal, Juliet's response is, "I'll look to like, if looking liking move."But enough of dead white playwrights.I know "love" when the look in the eyes says more than any word could relate. The look has an effect on every fiber in the body, not necessarily a tingle, but something which the ego heart recognizes as a truly special feeling.

Is "Te adoro, Anton" the only time that WEST SIDE STORY uses the words, albeit in a foreign language, "I love you?"

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If I could be for only an hour, cute, cute, CUTE in a stupid-assed way!

To me, love is feeling that person is a part of you. Truly a part of you. Almost a physical part of you, large or small. And as we know, sometimes parts of you can require amputation. That would be the definition of falling out of love.

But I have come to know that there is no greater love, perhaps, than when I come home and am changing out of my work duds and and all 60 pounds of little Miss Morgan LeFay Brittany Fairchild (lab/shepherd mix) stands on our bed on her hinds with her front paws on my shoulders (dog-hug) and kisses me to pieces. That is also love. And my dear partner is usually grateful that I have kissed him "good evening" first.

Or when little 2-year old nephew Kyle takes my hand on a walk. That is also love. And safety. For both of us, I think.

I think today's topic is very interesting, especially the part about people falling out of love so easily.

I think most people only know the giddy feeling when they fall in love. But they don't realize the effort it takes to make a relationship work. Or that love isn't just the giddiness.

I also believe that sometimes people change. For instance a girl getting married at 18 might not realize what she wants out of life.

I think truly falling in love, means being there for another person, through good times and bad. But it also means putting your heart on the line. And I think you know it when you feel it, because you don't ever want to be without that other person in your life.

Actually, Nat "King" Cole discovered "The greatest gift.. is to love and be love in return" back when "Moulon Rouge" was still a film with Jose Ferrer walking on his knees.

For the best definition of "love", see Leonard Sillman's NEW FACES OF 1952... "Love is a Simple Thing".

Last night was the Town Hall concert "Brooklyn to Hollywood". This featured songs from movies about Brooklyn, written for movies by Brooklyn songwritters, or sung in movies by performers from Brooklyn. While we really didn't need 4 songs Babs sang, when one of them is "Don't Rain On My Parade" done by Alix Korey that's fine with me. Other performers ranged from Christine Pedi to Stephen Bogardus to Sharon McKnight. Only Mark Nadler disappointed. Calm him down and he would probably be very good, but he was just so manic that he ruined several good songs (note: the audience loved him - mine is a minority opinion). However the highlight of the evening was the hostess: Tovah Feldshu. Who thought she could be such a great stand up comic. Of course her biggest laugh was unintentional (or was it?) when she accidentaly mentioned Betty Condom.

Tonight: RAISIN IN THE SUN. Unlike most of the audience though, I am not going because of Sean John P Diddy Puff Daddy Combs. I am going in spite of him. My one fear is that knowing Audra's attendance problems she might take the night off (she's missing over a week later this month to sing with the NYY Philharmonic), as she and Phylicia Allen Ayres Rashad are the main reasons I am going (other than the fact that the play itself is a classic).

Love is truly one of those things that you truly "feel" when you lose it. Unfortunately, it can be one of those things that you get so used to that you could end up taking it for granted. Of course, True Love would never fall into such a trap. It's us humans that fall into that trap.

For myself, Love is having a deep connection with someone. Kind of a sixth sense. The type of relationship where more can be said with just a hug, a raised eyebrow, a wink or a hand in a hand than with any amount of words. It can be very quiet and intense, or energetic and without bounds.

With my family, it's knowing that they will always be there for me - and that, hopefully, I will be there for them too. And it's getting past that sense of "familial obligation" - which is much harder said than done. -Done than said? -You know what I mean.

With my friends, it's a feeling of happiness knowing that they're a part of my life - and I'm a part of theirs. Sharing.

With that someone special, well, it's all of the above plus all that intangible stuff that poets and philosophers have been writing about for years. Years! -And, thankfully, the one true love of my life (so far), is still someone I can comfortable with - even though we may be "out of love" right now. Well, more accurately, we're just out of the "relationship", but we will always love each other.

"Is "Te adoro, Anton" the only time that WEST SIDE STORY uses the words, albeit in a foreign language, "I love you?"

I must say, that I was rather shocked when I first heard the score to Passion that Sondheim allowed himself to use the word "love" so often. For years he has produced some of the most moving songs on the subject without ever using the L word.

On the topic of love, I'd use another song as reference: "Love" from ZIEGFELD FOLLIES. That wonderful, dynamic song describes the perplexities of love beautifully, but as a person who has fallen victim to someone falling out of love with me while I was still in love with him, well, I have nothing else to say about it.

Well, I slept in - again - of course, I didn't really get to bed until around 2:00am, so... I did get eight hours of sleep at least. And now I must start getting ready to head back up to Arlington. I want to leave a little earlier than usual so I can take a nice nap before heading into the show tonight.

-Oh, and I also got two e-mails this morning - unfortunately, they both affect my potential summers plans... ah, well... I had gone from Plan A to Plan B... and Plan A was actually starting to look more attractive again, so... We shall see.

I just got back from Amazon.com and saw that Sondheim's BOUNCE is now available. I had no idea it was now in release. Of course, the list price is $19.98! (slightly lower Amazon price but still too high for a single CD). We do pay a premium price for cast albums of unsuccessful shows, don't we?

I've also been reading reviews around the internet this morning that are lamenting the condition of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA in the new Marx Bros. Boxed set from Warners. Supposedly, Warners has used a very dirty and marred print to do the transfer of the gem of this particular collection. How weird when their transfers have usually been so impeccable. I must drag out my old commercial videotape of it and see if it's in terrible shape as well.

In a few minutes I hit the road again to head north, stopping tonight with DR Jane and her menagerie -- no, I guess Keith is not quite "menagerie" - although in French "menage" means, um, sort of, oh, "household" - so yup, Keith IS part of that menagerie... cripes, Penny, pack yer stuff and MOVE ON!

Okay, so catch y'all when I get back to Seattle. Bye. I'll ponder "love" all the way up. I think it isn't so much something we DO as something we ARE... or something.